Arsenal produced a dominant performance at the Emirates, dispatching Wigan Athletic 4-0 in the FA Cup to comfortably secure their progression.
Arsenal delivered a powerful FA Cup display, comfortably overcoming Wigan Athletic with a convincing 4-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium. A flurry of first-half goals from Mikel Arteta's side ensured a straightforward path into the next round. Noni Madueke set the tone early with a superb strike.
Heading into the fixture on February 15, 2026, Arsenal, a perennial Premier League contender, faced a Wigan side likely battling in the lower divisions. The cup tie presented a classic David vs. Goliath encounter. Wigan hoped for a memorable upset, while Arsenal aimed for a professional performance and progression.
The Gunners wasted little time asserting their authority. In the 11th minute, Eberechi Eze threaded a precise pass to Noni Madueke, who expertly slotted the ball home. This early goal immediately put Arsenal in control, settling any pre-match nerves.
Arsenal doubled their lead just seven minutes later. Eze again provided the assist, setting up Gabriel Martinelli to fire past the Wigan goalkeeper in the 18th minute. The pressure became overwhelming, and in the 23rd minute, Wigan defender J. Hunt unfortunately turned the ball into his own net, making it three.
The relentless attacking continued for Arsenal. Christian Nørgaard, orchestrating play from midfield, delivered a key pass. Gabriel Jesus then pounced on the opportunity, slotting home his goal in the 27th minute. This rapid four-goal burst effectively ended the contest before the half-hour mark. Wigan made an early substitution, replacing Hunt with M. Smith in the 30th minute.
With a commanding 4-0 lead, Arsenal went into the break knowing their job was largely done. Wigan, reeling from the first-half onslaught, faced an an almost impossible task. The second half became about damage limitation for the visitors.
The second half saw Arsenal maintain control, slowing the tempo slightly while still dictating play. Manager Arteta used the opportunity to rotate his squad. Bukayo Saka replaced V. Gyokeres at halftime, followed by William Saliba for M. Salmon in the 61st minute, and goal-scorer Madueke made way for Leandro Trossard in the 62nd minute.
Wigan introduced fresh legs in an attempt to stem the tide. J. Taylor came on for D. Costelloe in the 63rd minute. As the half progressed, the game became scrappier, with M. Lewis-Skelly picking up a yellow card for Arsenal in the 69th minute. Wigan's O. Moxon also received a caution four minutes later.
Despite no further goals, Arsenal continued to dominate possession. Christian Nørgaard saw yellow in the 82nd minute, followed by Wigan's W. Aimson in the 83rd. Ben White and Kepa Arrizabalaga also came on for Arsenal in the closing stages. Goalkeeper Arrizabalaga had made two important saves earlier to preserve Arsenal's clean sheet.
